Having the guts to let my hair go grey. Update and photos on page 5.

[MataHari22]

I am trying to decide if I am committing to just letting my hair go grey. It needs to be dyed so badly, right now, but I'm thinking if I just bite the bullet and keep going for another 2-3 months, it will be to the point where it will be all grown out. I keep my hair short, so I could just get a pixie cut again. (I've been getting a sort of edgier asymmetrical pixie.)

I just don't know how I feel about this. For one thing, I am afraid it's going to make me look really old. I already feel old, and having gone through a couple of bouts of cancer, and I'm a bit dented and scratched.... but hey, it adds character, right? I will be 49 this year, but I'm not kidding when I say, I feel like I'm 90.

For another, I am not sure what the heck I'm going to look like when it grows out. I started dyeing my hair at about 32, maybe. (I started going grey pretty early, I had a lot of grey in my 20's.) I started dyeing it, because when I first met someone, they thought I was my dad's sister, instead of his daughter. Wasn't very happy about that. I did have to stop dying it during my cancer treatment. I had radiation and lost my hair that was in the path of the radiation, so basically, from the tops of my ears, down. Thank goodness, it 95% all grew back. I had my dark brown hair, with a shock of grey at the center top, and shocks of grey at my temples. Think bride of Frankenstein meets Alexandra from Josie and the Pussycats. That was in 2009/2010 that I had to stop dyeing it for several months. After that I went back to dying and added highlights.
Trying to look at my roots and figure what I've got going on, I think I'm now grey all over, with white shocks at my temples and the front top now.
I guess I won't know how it looks until I grow it out and get it cut, and I can always just dye it again if I hate it.

I'm just sick of the upkeep, and it's so expensive. Although, to be completely honest, it is the only thing I spend money on for myself. I don't go out, or wear makeup, or shop...etc.

I feel like men go grey and there's no stigma, but women do it, and it's a totally different story. I find myself sort of conforming to that pressure.

I just don't know. Are there any ladies that don't dye their hair that are younger and grey?

 

[Cantw8]

I color mine and have been since 30's..Im 54. I am not ready to look like a Qtip It is a pain and is very expensive as I have it done every 3 weeks professionally. Like you, it is about the only thing I spend money on for myself. It makes me feel so much better about myself. You seem very hesitant to let it go grey so I'm thinking it's not the right time for you. You are only 49, I think that's too young to be grey

 

[low-key]

I loved Jose and Pussycats in outer space, but I digress, I think if you do decide to go gray you need to keep it short, long gray not a good look, (for a women, Im letting mine grow llong in hopes people will start calling me the Silver Fox)

 

[BigAlsGal]

Id give it another 10 years.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

Ok, girl.. Your a survivor, it sounds like you've been through a lot, and you came out on top. Big hugs to you.

I'm 41, I don't have grey hair.. Yet, anyway. But I have decided to stop bleaching and let my natural dark blonde hair grow out. Like you, I'm currently rocking an asymmetrical bob throughout this transition. I say go for it! I feel like I've reached a point in my life, where I'm over "conforming to that pressure". This is me, take it or leave it.

And, it's just hair, you've been through worse and it grew back. I say give it a whirl, if you try it and you hate it, you can always go back to dying it again. But I think you just mind find, that your comfortable with your dents and scratches, and love it.

 

[jevs]

My hair is long and I wouldn't let it go grey unless it was short. I'm starting to get a few grey hairs now and just get it highlighted with foils which hides them.

I say do whatever makes you feel good and to hell with the stigma

 

[Someluck]

I let my "blonde" hair go white at 60. After a year of seeing myself in photos, I decided I would be "blonde" again and recheck at 70 to see if I feel old enough yet for white hair!

 

[Disneylover99]

If going grey will make you feel old, then dye it. You are too young to feel that way.

 

[ASchwa]

I am trying to decide if I am committing to just letting my hair go grey. It needs to be dyed so badly, right now, but I'm thinking if I just bite the bullet and keep going for another 2-3 months, it will be to the point where it will be all grown out. I keep my hair short, so I could just get a pixie cut again. (I've been getting a sort of edgier asymmetrical pixie.)

I just don't know how I feel about this. For one thing, I am afraid it's going to make me look really old. I already feel old, and having gone through a couple of bouts of cancer, and I'm a bit dented and scratched.... but hey, it adds character, right? I will be 49 this year, but I'm not kidding when I say, I feel like I'm 90.

For another, I am not sure what the heck I'm going to look like when it grows out. I started dying my hair at about 32, maybe. (I started going grey pretty early, I had a lot of grey in my 20's.) I started dying it, because when I first met someone, they thought I was my dad's sister, instead of his daughter. Wasn't very happy about that. I did have to stop dying it during my cancer treatment. I had radiation and lost my hair that was in the path of the radiation, so basically, from the tops of my ears, down. Thank goodness, it 95% all grew back. I had my dark brown hair, with a shock of grey at the center top, and shocks of grey at my temples. Think bride of Frankenstein meets Alexandra from Josie and the Pussycats. That was in 2009/2010 that I had to stop dying it for several months. After that I went back to dying and added highlights.
Trying to look at my roots and figure what I've got going on, I think I'm now grey all over, with white shocks at my temples and the front top now.
I guess I won't know how it looks until I grow it out and get it cut, and I can always just dye it again if I hate it.

I'm just sick of the upkeep, and it's so expensive. Although, to be completely honest, it is the only thing I spend money on for myself. I don't go out, or wear makeup, or shop...etc.

I feel like men go grey and there's no stigma, but women do it, and it's a totally different story. I find myself sort of conforming to that pressure.

I just don't know. Are there any ladies that don't dye their hair that are younger and grey?

I am older than you, and don't dye my hair. I never needed to because I have light brown hair with blonde highlights. I have been told not to dye my hair. Grey hair is coming in, I see it, but is still blended that a quick look, you wouldn't see it.The reason I am answering you is that from your story, you are a survivor and that anyway you want to keep your hair is your decision and there should be no stigma or judgement. The money doesn't matter, only the way that you feel comfortable with is the most important thing.

 

[Poohlove]

Coloring my hair is something that I only started over the last year and a half or so and I just turned 39. I have grays at my crown and my hair dresser does highlights in light blonde so that they blend rather than trying to cover them. I have naturally caramel colored brown hair so I really like the look and I can usually get 6 months or so out of one appointment.

I agree with the other poster who said try it out, if you don't like it you can always dye it. I would just add that if this is the one way that you pamper yourself please replace it with something so that you don't feel as though you are neglecting yourself. Whenever I make a drastic hair change I like to buy a new brush or styling product to go along with it.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

I agree with the other poster who said try it out, if you don't like it you can always dye it. I would just add that if this is the one way that you pamper yourself please replace it with something so that you don't feel as though you are neglecting yourself. Whenever I make a drastic hair change I like to buy a new brush or styling product to go along with it.

Oh, I like that,,, and completely agree. Find something for you, maybe a massage, manicure, pedicure, new shoes, new purse, take an art class, something. It's ok to be selfish sometimes.

 

[Melissa_E]

ugh, I've been coloring since I was in my 20s. I think I was fully gray by 35 or so? I just turned 40 this year and I've been toying with the idea of letting it go. It is just frustrating to keep having to color it. I color it myself. I'm thinking by 45 I might be brave enough.

 

[JoeA]

Do it! There is nothing wrong with grey, long or short! I'm trying to talk my wife I to letting hers go.

 

[Poohlove]

My mom used to color her own hair but not at all regularly. Her hair it completely gray so by the time she would color her hair she still had roots. She let it go for a while and tried to forego the coloring process but has since started getting her hair done professionally. It looks so much better that way.

I think that if she let it grow out it would have looked nice. There is a lady who lives in my town who has the most beautiful long gray hair. It's thick and very healthy looking. If my hair would look like hers I would totally let it go.

 

[jt'smom]

I'm 50, and I've been letting my colored hair grow out for a year. I've always worn an inverted bob, but just got mine cut today into an edgy pixie. When all the extra hair came off, i discovered that my hair is a bright silver, with white highlights, lol. I love it. I go to a salon where the stylists are a bunch of hip millennials who wear combat boots and have tattoos. My girl told me I would be crazy to color it because it was "on trend". I thought that was so funny, because at 50, I'm finally "on trend"

 

[klmall]

I've been highlighting my hair since my early thirties and at 67 I recently considered going gray but my stylist says I have far too much natural brown hair on the back half of my head. So I've decided to keep getting it all highlighted for awhile longer. In other words, I don't have enough gray yet. Huh?

Who'da thunk that with my mom turning gray in her thirties I was sure I would do the same. And until recently I worked with a much younger crowd and not looking old was very important.

I have a friend who by age forty was almost totally gray and she looked okay in gray but when she decided to use a light brown rinse she looked amazing. I can hardly believe the change; she does not look 64 anymore at all!

 

[kimblebee]

I'm 40 and I have more than a few grey hairs. Luckily, it totally blends in with my hair but I won't colour it when it gets more noticeable. I'm like you, some (ok most) days I feel like I'm 90 so hair colour is the least of my worries.

 

[tvguy]

My wife warned me when we got married that she would never color her hair (she's a redhead). Her mom was completely gray by age 45. DW is 59 now and is about 5% gray, That's perfect with me. IMHO, most women look best with the hair just as it grows out of their head, either in regards to color or curly or straight.

 

[mrsheppo]

Whatever makes you feel best is foremost. I'm 58 and I've decided to quit and let the grey come out. I am about 90% at this point and I have a pixie cut. The only thing I am going to do is add back in the purple streaks I had earlier this year. During the summer they faded out from sun and chlorine. I like having some fun with my hair and I have had so many positive comments about the purple. The main thing to remember is that if you don't like it, you can change it.

 

[momz]

I think gray hair is classy as women age. It must be maintained of course. But I have known several women in professional positions who let their hair go gray naturally. I think it is a very graceful way to age.